Debbie's young business processes 200 agents' bookings per month in its first year.

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Get your business feet dirty with Rezdy

Debbie and Adam are a young, vibrant couple with an abundance of love for the Australian outdoors. In late 2015 they took a leap of faith and started their own business, Barefoot Downunder, after several years of working in the travel and hospitality industry. Adam’s profound knowledge of the Blue Mountains region, coupled with Debbie’s killer business development skills, proved to be the perfect combination for quick success. They cater to young travellers, backpackers hungry for adventure off the beaten path. But they’re not your usual backpacker tour company. They put absolutely everything they have into it and they’re not afraid to step outside of the box to make the experience that more memorable.

“We realised there was a need for a more personalised backpacker tour experience. There are not that many in Sydney and we really wanted to create something that will stand out. Being the owner/operator kind of business gives us the freedom to put our personalised touch, so we try to implement little things here and there that are quite unique. Those things have proven to set us apart.”, they explain.

While Adam runs the tour, Debbie runs the show. She could probably name 10 different job titles she holds within the company. This means she’s always out talking to potential partners, dropping off brochures, helping a lost customer over the phone who can’t find a pick up point, or simply looking after the finance. She relies on Rezdy entirely to take, process and confirm bookings. These days, she’s also successfully leveraging the power of Rezdy Marketplace to connect with agents and distribute her availability across multiple channels. We were lucky to catch Debbie during her short break, stroll down to the beach and chat about her experience with Rezdy and future plans.

R: How did the decision to use Rezdy come about?

D: I’ve actually used Rezdy before while I was employed by another company and I absolutely loved it. It was incredibly easy to learn and use. I knew their team was great to work with and the customer service was top notch, so it was really an easy decision.

R: How important it is to have an online booking system in running a business like yours? What would it be like without it?

D: Having to wear all sorts of hats while running a small business, an online booking platform is an absolute necessity. We deal with young international travellers, and we have to stay “open” 24/7 for them to be able to complete the booking when they want to. If I didn’t have Rezdy, I’d probably have to mind phones all day and then put every single booking onto an Excel spreadsheet. Rezdy not only automates the process but gives me a bird’s eye view of every single tour – all the details are neatly organised and viewable. It just cuts out that much work that I have to do.

R: Do you have a favourite feature?

D: If I had to pick one it would probably be the Manifest. I love how neatly the data is gathered and organised for me, so in the morning before the tour starts I can just send it off to the guide. Everything’s in there for them to see – the names, the contact details, the pickup times. Having a perfect manifest is really important for any tour business and Rezdy’s got it right.

Having a perfect manifest is really important for any tour business and Rezdy’s got it right.

Another favourite feature is definitely the Marketplace. We’re a young business and are yet to be discovered by many resellers. Rezdy Marketplace really helps because it makes our product visible and instantly bookable by agents. And then, of course, the availability is in sync, which is amazing. If a travel agent has a customer in front of them, they can immediately book us without having to pick up the phone. It will come straight off my availability. We’ve generated hundreds of 3rd party orders in the first year alone and it really helped fill us up and spread the word. I love the Marketplace.

R: You mentioned you were a fan of Rezdy customer service…

D: Every time I give Rezdy a call and ask for advice, they’re so helpful. Always straight to the point, happy, and easy to work with. I’m always able to talk to someone straight away, which is a really great thing. They’re a great team passionate about their product and the industry, good people, just super friendly.

R: At Rezdy we say we want to empower our customer to live their dream. Do you feel like we’re doing that for you?

D: Obviously, admin work isn’t that exciting, so Rezdy takes out that part that’s not as fun and does it for me.Thanks to Rezdy I can focus on the things that I excel in. Getting out there with people, being face to face, talking to different clients or agents. Anyone who runs a tour and activity business knows how important it is to be out there. Rezdy empowers me to continue building my dream.

“Thanks to Rezdy I can focus on the things that I excel in. Getting out there with people, being face to face, talking to different clients or agents. Rezdy empowers me to continue building my dream.”

R:If you could recommend Rezdy to other businesses, what would be the main reasons?

D: I would definitely recommend Rezdy and I have, just for the fact that it’s easy to use, and with great customer service. It manages everything that you want it to. You can load up a product easily. The manifest is put together very well. If there are additional things that you need for your business, you can talk to them and ask if they can integrate it into Rezdy, and they’ll work with you.

If there are additional things that you need for your business, you can talk to them and ask if they can integrate it into Rezdy, and they’ll work with you.